Noida Old Age Home Truth: Exposé Reveals Seniors Never Truly Rescued

Noida Old Age Home Horror: Truth Behind Sham Rescue

When a disturbing video of an elderly woman, her hands tied inside Anand Niketan Vridh Sewa Ashram—a Noida old age home—surfaced online, the country’s conscience was shaken. The footage spread rapidly across social media, prompting swift action from the Uttar Pradesh State Welfare Department. Police, along with members of the State Women’s Commission, raided the facility.

News outlets reported that the home had been sealed and 42 residents were “rescued.” But as The Probe discovered in its investigation, that was not the whole truth. Despite the flurry of headlines, the very same facility continues to operate today, with many of those who were supposedly freed brought back to live within its walls.

Officials’ promises to close the home never materialised. Determined to uncover the reality, our team entered the premises and confronted those in charge. What we found raises troubling questions—not only about state oversight but also about the media’s fleeting attention.

Dr. Amar Veer Singh, a Trustee of the Jan Kalyan Trust that manages the ashram, initially praised the institution’s legacy. “Our source of inspiration was mother Raj Jit Paul,” he said, pointing to her photo and statue inside the premises. “She was a homeopathic doctor who began keeping elderly people in her own home when they had nowhere else to go. As the numbers grew, she rented a place for them. Her dedication was so strong that she sold her jewellery and assets to build this ashram. For over 30 years, dignitaries have praised our work—for the food, discipline, programs, and celebrations. There has never been disorder, nor has anyone faced a problem.”

Yet questions around the viral video soon shifted the tone of the conversation. Dr. Singh attempted to deflect blame, describing the elderly woman in the footage as “aggressive and mentally unstable.” He claimed she had been admitted out of compassion but conceded, “It was a mistake. Sometimes, mistakes happen.”

State Women’s Commission member Meenakshi Bharala, however, had earlier publicly raised concerns about the facility’s very legality, stating that the old age home was not registered at the time of her inspection. Dr. Singh later acknowledged delays in registration, admitting, “Yes, we did the registry later, but the allotment was given earlier because all our payments were made. The authorities even considered imposing a penalty, but the government approved a waiver.”

What emerges is a troubling portrait of an institution operating in legal and moral grey zones—its existence tolerated despite repeated red flags.

Influence and Irregularities in the Ashram’s Past

As The Probe pressed further, Dr. Amar Veer Singh revealed his own role in the Ashram’s history. In a startling admission, he acknowledged that during his tenure as an Additional Director in the Income Tax Department, he personally intervened in the institution’s land and registration disputes.

“At that time, I myself saw these things and handled them personally,” he said. “The penalty that was waived off was done during my time. I was not a Trustee then—I was working in the Income Tax Department. They requested me for help, saying this was a charitable institution. I told my authorities, ‘If you do not register this, then where will these elderly citizens go?’”

Dr. Singh justified his intervention as an act of compassion. “Law has a residuary clause, which allows discretion when something is appropriate for the people,” he explained. Yet the fact that a senior bureaucrat helped secure waivers for an institution with irregularities, only to later become its Secretary, raises sharp ethical concerns.

“I retired as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax two years ago,” he added. “I have been associated with this institute since 2015 because I liked it very much. They made me a Trustee, and now I have been made the Secretary also.”

Safety Concerns Brushed Aside

Questions about safety at the Noida old age home have also surfaced. Dr. Singh conceded there had once been a fire incident but insisted that all standards were now met.

“This building has two floors, and there was once a fire issue,” he said. “But in the completion certificate issued by the authority, it’s clearly stated that our home follows the firefighting rules. The building is open from all four sides. In any instance, anyone can get out at any time. Besides that, we have made all the necessary arrangements. We have fire extinguishers in place. We have all facilities.”

Despite these assurances, reports suggest repeated lapses in compliance—further deepening doubts about whether the ashram truly offers a safe refuge for its elderly residents.

Money, Promises, and Startling Admissions

Under Indian law, charitable trusts cannot demand money as a condition for admission. Any such collection is deemed a fee, requiring government approval. Yet reports indicate that families have been asked for lump sums as high as ₹2.5 lakh, in addition to monthly charges ranging from ₹6,000 to ₹12,000.

When confronted with this, Dr. Amar Veer Singh denied that fees were mandatory but admitted that in some cases, “contributions” had been collected. “There is no such rule of ₹2.5 lakh. Our bylaws don’t permit this,” he insisted. “If someone willingly wants to donate a certain amount, they do so voluntarily. In some cases, yes, we do accept contributions. For example, if someone requests a bigger room for a lifetime stay, we feel that some security amount should be taken. But there is no compulsion.”

He added that many residents had been admitted free of cost but defended the monthly payments. “We have a big establishment, 15 staff members, salaries, electricity, water, kitchen costs. So at least consider ₹6,000—what is the value of ₹6,000 these days?”

The government, meanwhile, has been accused of abandoning its own pledges. After the viral video, officials claimed to have sealed the facility and rescued the elderly. State Women’s Commission member Meenakshi Bharala even assured that an FIR would be filed. Yet two months later, nothing has moved. The Noida old age home is operating as usual, and most of the supposed “rescued” residents are back inside.

Dr. Singh himself admitted to The Probe that the woman in the viral video had indeed been tied up by her attendant. “Her female attendant tied her hands and misbehaved with her. A third party made the video of the incident,” he said, attempting to cast the recording as an invasion of privacy.

He also acknowledged that mentally unstable residents were housed in the facility, despite the lack of specialised licensing. “Dr. Tejwani has been residing here for 20 years,” Singh said. “Of late, since 2015 he had been mentally disturbed. Everyone complained, and we kept him in isolation with his family’s consent.”

Fear, Neglect, and a Broken System

Inside the Anand Niketan Vridh Sewa Ashram, staff members describe a toxic culture of fear and intimidation. Attendant Ramsukhi told The Probe that employees who tried to raise concerns were threatened into silence. “Soni and Krishna are ill-mannered,” she alleged. “One madam even left the ashram because of them. If we try to reveal things, they threaten to throw us out, saying we’re revealing their secrets.”

Her testimony contradicts Dr. Singh’s defense that attendants acted independently. Ramsukhi claimed staff were pressured to care for a mentally unstable resident without training and were even instructed to tie her hands. “The mistake was that they admitted her in the first place,” she said. “When we refused, we were forced to do the duty. Krishna and his wife told us, ‘If you can’t control her, then tie her hands.’ We were threatened that we would lose our jobs if we refused.”

The Ashram’s only nurse, Vijayalakshmi, confirmed further gaps in care. Having joined only in November, she admitted to having no prior experience with elderly patients. “My duty is from 9 AM to 6 PM,” she said. “After that, no nurse or doctor is available here. If there is a problem, staff call a hospital or take patients by ambulance.” Her account leaves dozens of frail residents effectively unattended through the night.

Such revelations deepen questions about why authorities continue to tolerate conditions that endanger senior citizens. Despite promises to seal the premises and register an FIR, the Noida old age home remains fully operational. Officials who once staged a dramatic “rescue” have since allowed many of those same residents to return to the facility.

The silence of the Uttar Pradesh government is deafening. Why was the ashram never shut? Why were the elderly placed back into the very place they were supposedly saved from? Why has no accountability followed?

The answers go beyond paperwork and raids. They speak to a systemic failure—to protect the vulnerable, to enforce laws, and to honour the dignity of the senior citizens of the state.